In general, a refrigerator has a plurality of storage compartments for accommodating foods to be stored so as to store the foods in a frozen or refrigerated state. Also, each of the storage compartments may have one surface that is opened to accommodate or dispense the foods. The plurality of storage compartments include a freezing compartment for storing foods in the frozen state and a refrigerating compartment for storing foods in the refrigerated state.
A refrigeration system in which a refrigerant is circulated is driven in the refrigerator. The refrigeration system may include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator.
The refrigerator may include a heater for preventing dew from being formed on a surface of the refrigerator due to a difference in temperature between air outside the refrigerator and the inside of the refrigerator. As the difference in temperature between the air outside the refrigerator and the inside of the refrigerator increases, and humidity of the air outside the refrigerator increases, dew may be further formed.
The heater provided in the refrigerator according to the related art may be controlled so that the heater is turned on/off to a preset operation factor on the basis of information with respect to a temperature and humidify of air outside the refrigerator, regardless of a high or low inner temperature of the refrigerator. Due to the operation of the heater, unnecessary power may be consumed.
That is, if the inside of the refrigerator has a relatively high temperature, the possibility of formation of dew may be reduced, but unnecessary power may be consumed because the heater is driven at a preset operation factor or output. Particularly, since the heater of a plurality of power consumption units constituting the refrigerator is a power consumption unit that requires large amount of power in addition to a compressor, the power consumption due to the driving of the heater may exceed a negligible level.
The prior document related with the refrigerator according to the related art as follows.
1. Application number (Filing Date): KR 10-2013-0004514 (Jan. 14, 2013)
2. Title of The Invention: DEW FORMATION PREVENTION METHOD FOR REFRIGERATOR